Expandable chute device



Feb. 18, 1969 F. P. CHARYN ETAL EXPANDABLE CHUTE DEVICE Filed Jan. 25, 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTORS FRED P. CHARYN BY HOKE M. GARRETT Feb. 18, 1969- F. P. CHARYN ETALv 3,428,155

EXPANDABLE CHUTE DEVICE Filed Jan'. 26, 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTORS )@fns FRED P. CHARYN i n/Hgl M.

Tg; 5 fu@ ATTORNEYv United States Patent O 3,428,156 EXPANDABLE CHUTE DEVICE Fred P. Charyn and Hoke M. Garrett, Oakland, Calif.,

assignors to Kaiser Industries Corporation, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Filed Jan. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 610,909

U.S. Cl. 193-22 12 Claims Int. Cl. B65g 11/10, 1]/12, 11/18 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An expandable spout or chute for owable materials made up of a plurality of loosely interconnected and telescopingly arranged tubular sections. One tubular section is loosely and hingedly interconnected to an adjacent tubular section such that each section is individually freely pivotal primarily about a single axis, which axis is disposed generally parallel t but offset by about 90 relative to the equivalent spaced pivotal axis of an adjacent section whereby the overall chute made up of such sections can be readily accommodated to various environments and discharge conditions.

Background of the invention This invention relates t0 apparatus for loading and unloading fluent materials and the like and more particularly to an improved device that has improved bendable and collapsible characteristics.

Material discharge chutes or spouts made up of a series of telescoping and loosely interconnected tubular sections have been used in the past for conveying flowable materials wherein the discharge end of the chute can be disposed in offset relation to the intake end. When the chute is not in use, the individual chute sections can be contracted or telescoped relative to each other and the entire chute substantially collapsed and placed in an inactive position. Prior art chutes, however, such as those shown in United States Patents 2,772,764, issued Dec. 4, 1956, and 2,997,150, issued Aug. 22, 1961, have had only limited flexibility in that adjacent interconnected sections were not capable of being flexed so as to assume a wide variety of curvilinear forms because they were usually connected together at three or four points of the compass. Thus, the usefulness and adaptability of such chutes to various discharge conditions were thus necessarily limited.

Summary of the invention It is the primary purpose of the instant invention to provide an improved and substantially universally maneuverable chute or spout made up of a series of telescopingly arranged tubular sections interconnected to one another in an improved fashion whereby the overall chute cannot only be partially collapsed, but can also be made to take an innite number of different directional turns during use and wherein the telescoping features of the chute are fully compatible with its versatile curvilinear characteristics.

Brief description of the drawings In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective and partly diagrammatic view of the versatile and contractible spout of the instant invention with parts being broken away and with other parts being shown in partial section;

FIG. 2 comprises a series of three correlated and reduced diagrammatic front views, separately identified as A, B and C, of the discharge spout of FIG. 1 with parts removed and other parts broken away and illustrates the comparative normal contracted position and several different extended positions of the spout;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally Patented Feb. 18, 1969 rice along line 3-*3 of FIG. l wherein certain parts are broken away and illustrates certain details of a swivel connection between the intake end of the spout and a supporting member therefor;

FIG. 4 is a plan view generally taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with parts removed;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of the discharge end of the spout of FIG. 1 wherein certain parts are shown in dotted and solid lines, other parts are removed and certain parts are broken away;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a series of three interconnected tubular sections of the spout of the instant invention and illustrates in detail various extended positions of said sections; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a suitable electrical control circuit that can be used with the chute device of the instant invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments With further reference to the drawingsV and, in particular, FIGS. 1-6, a preferred embodiment of the discharge chute 10 of the instant invention generally comprises a series of telescopingly arranged and interconnected tubular sections 12, of the type generally indicated in FIGS. l and 2, dependingly disposed along a common axis 13 in a unique manner. The upper or intake end of spout 10 can be advantageously connected to an overhead supporting framework 14 by appropriate swivel means as will be noted more fully hereinafter. A combination ow gate and control element 16 is connected to the discharge end of the spout for controlling the contraction and distending of the sections 12 of the spout 10 and a pollutant removal ductwork 18 can be attached to the framework 14 to minimize pollution of the surrounding air during passage of pulverulent material through the spout 10. The ow gate element 16 can also `be slightly modied for additionally preventing drippage of llowable material -from the discharge end of the spout 10. If desired, the discharge end of the spout 10 can be provided with improved means for releasably attaching the discharge end thereof to a receptacle (not shown) for receiving the ow of material discharged from the spout 10. A cable and winch system, generally indicated at 20, can be used to assist the operator in extending or contracting the various tubular sections 12 suspended from the supporting framework 14.

The chute is made up primarily of uniquely connected tubular sections or buckets 12 and since each tubular section 12 has the same shape, a description of one will sutlice for all. The tubular section 12 generally has the shape of an inverted frusto-conical tube. Bucket 12 can be formed from a pair of metal sheets, each of which is press lformed into the half portion of a conical frustum and then secured together at its edges to a similar bucket segment or each section 12 can be made of a single sheet of metal appropriately bent into the frusto-conical shape so as to have a central opening 22 after its free edges have been welded together.

The outer faces of most of the tube sections 12 of the chute carry, on the outer top portion thereof, a rst pair of apertured lugs 24 disposed in diametrically opposed relationship to each other and a second pair of apertured lugs 26 also located in the same plane as lugs 24 but circumferentially interdigitated with lugs 24 such that the lugs 24 and 26 of the various pairs of lugs can be considered as being located at the four points of the compass, with each lug being preferably spaced from an adjacent lug at an angle of with respect to the central common axis 13 of the spout and the central longitudinal axis of the tube section 12.

The sections r12 are preferably loosely interconnected together by separate pairs of iiexible chains 28 and 30 of appropriate length, one pair of flexible chains 28 being used, for example, to connect a given section 12 to the next upper section 12 and the other pair of chains 30' being Iused to connect the aforesaid given section 12 to the next lower section 12. In the case of the tube sections 12 located adjacent the aforesaid given tube section, the use of the chains 28 and 30 is just reversed. Since every alternate pair of linking chains is arranged so as to be offset by an angle of about 90 to the longitudinal axis of the opposing pair of linking chains, this results in an articulated movement of the chute or spout mechanism as a whole since each bucket or tube 12 is supported in a single hinged manner on a main pivotal axis which intersects common chute axis 13 to permit full movement of the bucket 12 perpendicular to the hinge while being hinged at an angle of 90 to the previous bucket and with this hinge axis also being parallel to the hinged axes of adjacent buckets.

Each bucket is connected to an adjacent bucket by only a single pair of chains 28 or 30, -and the case may be. By connecting each bucket or tube to the next adjacent bucket by only a single pair of chains and with only one pair of chains per bucket extending for the full length of the bucket when the lower and smaller end of the topmost bucket is telescopingly inserted in the upper enlarged end of the adjacent lower bucket, a sufcient radial clearance 32 is provided between the telescoped portions of the buckets whereby the unique hinged arrangement between adjacent buckets can be used to the maximum advantage. The overall result is that each bucket is, for all practical purposes, free to move in an arcuate path without any serious restraint of adjacent bucket supports or chains so that the chute as a whole can be Aflexed in a number of directions and take a wide variety of curvilinear forms.

This flexibility of the chute or spout is best illustrated in the view C of FIG. 2. In this view C the majority of the sections 12 have been distended and flexed relative to each other in a multitude of different directions and at least one of the chains in rmost of the sets of chains 28 and 30 has assumed a partially draped position.

When the bucket or tube sections of the spout 10 are fully contracted relative to each other, the overall spout 10 can be completely contracted within a small space and the various pairs of chains 28 and 30 are disposed in a fully draped but bucket-and-chain-locked condition, all as illustrated in view A of IFIG. 2. When the sections '12 are fully extended relative to each other without any flexure along the common axis 13, all of the chains in the pairs of chains 28 and 30 are fully extended in the manner shown in FIGS. l and 6 and in view B of FIG. 2.

Various means can be used to secure and suspend the chute from an overhead hopper or other appropriate feed means and in the device illustrated in the drawings a boxlike framework 14 is employed. This framework 14 can be made up of a series of channel-shaped members, such as I-beams, etc. 34. These beams are interconnected at their ends and secured to the bottom discharge end of a hopper by having their upper flanged ends affixed to the sheet metal conduit 36 of the hopper whereby chute 10 will be placed in open communication with hopper conduit 36.

Although chute 10 may be rigidly aixed to the framework 14, a preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates that a swivel mounting be used. This swivel mounting is effected by means of an inverted frustoconical member 38, the upper flanged portion of which is connected to beam members 34 on framework 14. Member 38 communicates with chute 36 and at the same time the lower smaller end thereof is centered and telescoped within a cylindrical sleeve 44 of relatively short axial length. An annular track member 46 is appropriately affixed such as by welding to the outer surface portion of member 44. This track can be made in the form of a right angle member and the two anges thereof are adapted to be engaged by the two sets of differentially mounted guide rollers 48 and 52 which are rigidly mounted by means of the brackets 50 and 54 on the top 42 of apertured turntable 40. A further sleeve 44', which registers with sleeve 44 and member 38, extends through the central opening in the turntable and is xedly secured to the turntable. The lower end of sleeve 44 is permanently telescoped within the top portion of the topmost bucket l12 of the series of buckets 12. The upper end of the uppermost bucket 12 is also xedly secured to the undersurface of the turntable 40. The horizontally and vertically mounted wheels 48 and 52 mounted in the various brackets 50 and 54 are adapted to be in rolling engagement with the outside cylindrical and at surfaces respectively of the intersecting leg portions of the annular track member 46 and they serve to lock the turntable 40 to the box framework 14 as well as to provide a swivel connection therebetween.

A rst pair of chains 30 serve to connect the uppermost fixed bucket 12 to the next adjacent or second bucket. Chains 28 connect this second bucket to the next lower bucket with chains 28 and 30 then alternating with each other to connect succeeding buckets ultimately to the topmost fixed bucket 12.

In van advantageous embodiment of the invention, the discharge end of the chute or spout 10 is provided with a combination chute gate and control device 16 which includes the lowermost bucket 12a as a part thereof. 'Lowermost control bucket 12a can be reinforced by a series of radially disposed plate or fin elements 56 as indicated in FIGS. l and 5. The inner ends of tins 56 are secured to bucket 12a and the outer ends of fins 56 are connected to an inverted hollow frusto-conical shield or guard member 58 arranged concentrically to bucket 12a.

One pair of diametrically opposed fins 56 are provided with openings 57 at the upper ends thereof in which a pair of chains 28 is mounted for the purpose of pivotally suspending bucket 12a of the control device directly from the overall series of buckets 12 making up chute 10. This type of connection between control device 16 and the rest of the chute provides for excellent maneuverability and manipulation of device 16 as well as the chute per se.

If desired and in order to releasably lock the control element 16 and in turn the chute 10 to a bin, a conveyor, hopper truck or railroad car, etc. that receives the material from the chute, an electromagnet device can be ncorporated in the contol device 16 as follows. A flat ring 60 and an outer frusto-conical guard 62 can be attached to shield 58. A reinforcing bumper strip 64 can be affixed to guard 62, if desired. Guard 62 because of its shape facilitates insertion of the bottom of the discharge spout within an opening in the hopper to be filled or the conduit into which the spout 10 is adapted to be discharged. A cylindrical sleeve 66 can also be mounted on the inner portion of ring 60. An electromagnetic device 68 comprised of commercially available electromagnetic elements is secured in a suitable manner to the intersecting surfaces of the ring 60 and the sleeve 66 in the manner shown in FIG. 5 and this electromagnet device 68 functions upon energization by the electrical circuit of FIG. 7 to releasably attach the electrically magnetized guard 62 and strips 64 to the metallic parts of the further material handling device to which the bottom of spout 10 is attached during use of spout 10.

Control device 16 can be advantageously provided with bail or handle means 70 which can be grasped by the operator for maneuvering the spout into the desired position. The intermediate portions 72 of the handle means 70 extend chordally across and are secured to the outer margin of the ring 60. They can be wrapped with insulating material so as to be out of electrical contact with the electromagnet 68. Handle means 70 can, if desired, be reinforced by the strut elements 74 and a control panel 152 can be aixed to one end of handle means 70.

In the case of where -the buckets 12 are used to handle extremely dusty materials, the buckets can be enveloped in an outer casing or shroud 76 made up of a relatively impervious and exible canvas material. As best shown in FIG. 1, the casing 76 can be made in the form of a series of individual canvas segments appropriately stitched or hemmed together to facilitate collapse of the shroud upon the full telescoping of the buckets 12 one within the other. As indicated in FIG. 3, casing 76 can be clampingly secured to the outer surface of cylindrical sleeve 78 which depends from swivel platform 40 by an encircling band means 80, while the lower end of the casing 76 can be clampingly secured by an encircling band 81 to the upper end of the sleeve 66 on the control means 16 in the manner shown in FIG. 5.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a pollutant or dust removal ductwork 18 can be attached to the framework 14. Ductwork 18 is comprised of a large duct 84 disposed in open communication with the inside of shroud 76 through the medium of an opening 85 in a cylindrical sleeve 82 which extends from the base frame 14 toward turntable `40. A sealing ring 94 of appropriate material closes oii the slight opening between turntable 40 and sleeve A82. Disposed in duct 84 is a conventional air and dust separator y86. A conduit 90 interconnects the separator 86 and fan 88. A series of perforations 92 (only two of which are shown in FIG. l) are provided in the swivel ring 42 of turntable 40. The perforations 92 permit the ingress of outside air into duct 84 as well as into the shroud 76 through the lower open ends of the guard 62 and bucket 12a of the control device 16. Thus, upon energization of fan 88 by the electrical control circuit in FIG. 7, a forced flow of air is produced from below the perforations 92 to and through duct 84, separator 86 and fan 88. This ow of air also acts to draw any dust present in shroud 76 upwardly through the shroud 76 and into duct 84. Cylindrical lip seal 94 is used to advantage at this time to prevent short circuiting of air in the system.

A buttery valve 96 is pivotally disposed in duct 84 and is held in a normally closed position by a counterweight 98 and in an open position by a relatively larger counterweight 100 interconnected to the valve 96 by an arrangement 102 of suspended and spaced pulleys and cables best shown in FIG. 1. When the air pollutant device 18 is operated, the operator can manipulate the larger counterweight 100 so as to open the closed buttery valve 96 whereby a ow of polluted air is lirst directed to the separator 86 whereupon the cleansed air is then directed to the fan 88 through the interconnecting conduit 90 whence it is -discharged to the atmosphere. In addition, the larger counterweight 100 can be abutted and grasped by a pocket means (not shown) provided on the control device 16 upon contraction of the spout so as to close the opened butterfly valve 96.

The cable and winch mechanism assists the operator in lowering and raising the spout 10 by extending and collapsing the same. This mechanism 20 includes a platform 108' upon which a reversible type electrical motor 106 is disposed, motor 106 being interconnected by a gear box 110 to a cylindrical drum 108 upon which a cable 112 is wound. Cable 112 is first reeved about a pulley 117 mounted by spider means on the upper wall of the hopper conduit 36 and then passes through an opening 115 in conduit 36. Cable 112 after passing through opening 115 is drawn through conduit 36 and between the idler pulleys 118 mounted by brackets 120 on sleeve 44. Finally cable 112 passes down through all of the buckets 12 until its free end is affixed to the top 114 of a triangulated spider 116 as shown in FIG. l. The spider 116 is inserted within the lowermost bucket 12a and its lower ends 116 are aiiixed to the lower end ofthe bucket 12a as shown in FIG. 5.

From the above description it will now be readily observed that movement of the cable 112 up or down along with the spider 116 will cause an overall raising or lowering of the chute 10 as the buckets are either retracted within or distended relative to each other.

As further shown in FIG. 5, the control device 16 can be advantageously modified so as to incorporate a plug or flow stopping means 119 for beneficially closing off the lower end of the device 16 as well as for eiecting improved distribution of the discharged material due to its conical shape. The plug 119 can be made of any suitable impervious and relatively hard rubber or rubber-like material and is formed in the shape of a cone, the base end of which includes an `annular rib 119. The upper end of the plug 119 is connected to the lower end of a chain 123 reeved about a pulley 121 suspended from the upper end 114 of the spider 116. The free end of the chain 123 is threaded through suitable openings in the bucket 12a, shield 58 and guard 62 whereby the exposed end of the chain 123 can be selectively anchored to a hook 125 secured to the outer part of the control device 16 such as the upper end of the guard 62. Thus, the operator can raise the plug 119 to close off the openings at the lower end of the bucket 12a and the guard 62 whereby drippage of material from the spout 10 as well as air flow to the pollutant removal device 18 through openings l85 are prevented. Further, the operator can lower the plug 119 relative to the control device 16 as illustrated by the dotted line position in FIG. 5 irrespective of whether or not the device 16 is attached to a further material receiving device in order to establish direct flow of air to ductwork 18 and discharge of liowable material from the spout 10.

One suitable electrical control circuit is shown in FIG. 7 for selectively controlling the operation of the fan 88, the electromagnet 68 and the winch motor 106. As indicated in FIG. 7, main line conduits 122 of the circuit are connected to a suitable power source (not shown). Magnet 68 is connected across lines 122 by means of branch line 124 which includes a hand operated switch 126. The electrical driving motor for fan 88 is electrically connected across lines 122 by a line 128 and a hand operated switch is disposed in line 128. -In order to operate the reversible motor 106 for the winch device 104 so as to wind or unwind the length of cable 112 about the drum 108, a rst solenoid 132 is connected across lines 122 by branch conduit 134 which includes a hand operated switch 136. A second solenoid 138 is similarly connected across lines 122 by line 140 and a switch 142. lUpon energizing the rst solenoid 132 by closing the switch 136, the contact bar of the solenoid 132 is advanced to bridge the inner ends of the branch line 144 which is connected across lines 122 and series connected to the electrical motor 106. This energization of the solenoid 132 causes rotation of the motor 106 in one direction. A further line segment 146 is connected across lines 122 by being connected iirst to one line of lines 122 and one side of the motor 106 and then by means of a line 148 leading from the other side of the motor to the opposing one of the lines 122. A double pole switch controlled by solenoid 138 is used to close the contacts in line segments 146 and 148. When solenoid 138 is energized by closing switch 142 simultaneously with solenoid 132 being deenergized by opening of switch 136, motor 106- can be reversed.

All of the above hand operated switches 126, 130, 136 and 142 can be incorporated in the control panel 152 on bail means 70. The power lines for control panel 152 which includes the electrical lines of the circuit in FIG. 7 can be threaded along and externally attached to various elements of the spout 10 such as the conduit 36 and casing 76 in the manner shown in FIG. l.

From the above description, it will be obvious that an extremely versatile and easily manipulated discharge chute or spout has been provided. The particular way in which the individual buckets are suspended from each other contributes materially to the overall eliiciency and usefulness of the device.

Advantageous embodiments of the instant invention have been disclosed and described. IIt is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the following claims, wherein:

What is claimed is:

1. In a discharge chute device, the combination of a plurality of interconnected tubular sections arranged to partially and loosely telescope one within the other, means for connecting one tubular section to each adj-acent tubular section, an impervious and flexible shroud means, means for independently suspending said sections and said shroud means in spaced circumferential relation to each other such that a clearance space exists between said shroud means and all of said sections along the length of the chute device and dust removal means connected to said shroud means for effecting removal of dust from the said clearance space during the iiow of material through the chute device and said tubular sections and said shroud means also being loosely suspended and arranged relative to each other whereby any given tubular section can be freely pivoted about an `axis in conjunction with the portion of said shroud means located adjacent said given tubular section in a multitude of directions.

2. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 1 including means for connecting the lower end of said shroud means to the lowermost tubular section.

3. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 1 including means connected to the lowermost tubular section for manipulating said lowermost tubular section and in turn effecting a pivoting of other tubular sections about the pivotal axis of said given tubular section.

4. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 1 including an electromagnetic means associated with the lowermost tubular section for use in releasably securing said chute device to a further material handling device.

S. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 1 including cable means connected to the lowermost tubular section of the chute device, means connecting said shroud means to the lowermost tubular section and means for operating said cable means so as to effect a predetermined telescoping of various tubular sections relative to each other and a selected collapsing of said shroud means.

6. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 1 including means for rotating yall of said tubular sections about an axis generally normal to the main pivotal axes of the said tubular sections.

7. A discharge chute device as set forth in. claim 1 wherein the lowermost tubular section is provided with a removably disposed plug means.

8. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 7 wherein the plug means has a conical configuration which assists in the directional control of material discharged from the chute device.

9. In `a discharge chute device, the combination of a plurality of interconnected tubular sections arranged CFI along a common axis to partially and loosely telescope one within the other, means for loosely connecting one tubular section to each adjacent tubular section, support means connected to the uppermost section and including means for swiveling the sections as a unit about the common axis, a relatively impervious and iiexible shroud means independently connected to said support means for fully enveloping said sections while being spaced therefrom so as to define a full clearance space between said shroud means and said sections -along the length of the chute device, and dust removal means connected to said shroud means for effecting removal of dust that collects in the clearance space during the flow of material through said chute device, the tubular sections and said shroud means being so loosely arranged and suspended relative to each other whereby any given tubular section can be pivoted about an axis in conjunction with the portion of said shroud means located adjacent said given tubular section in a multitude of directions.

10. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 9 including means for connecting said shroud means to the lowermost section and said connecting means having an opening through which air may pass.

11. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 9 including cable means connected to the lowermost tubular section of the chute device, means for connecting said shroud means to the lowermost tubular section and means for operating said cable means so as to effect a predetermined telescoping of various tubular sections relative to each other and a selected collapsing of said shroud means.

12. A discharge chute device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the lowermost tubular section is provided with a removably disposed plug means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 907,692 12/ 1908 Hervey 193-25 1,101,561 6/1914 McPhayden 193-25 1,199,198 9/ 1916 Martin.

1,503,669 8/1924 Simon 193-20 2,525,167 10/1950 Delivuk.

2,602,498 7/1952 Overton 214-17 X 3,298,544 1/ 1967 Pfalser et al.

OTHER REFERENCES German allowed applications: .DAS 1,145,550, Mar. 14, 1963, Trinks. lDAS 1,163,062, Feb. 13, 1964, Becker et al.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

M. L. AJEMAN, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

